The Unspoken Name: The Serpent Gates Book 1
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3.7 • 34 Ratings
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
Does she owe her life to those planning her death . . .
Csorwe was raised by a death cult steeped in old magic. And on her fourteenth birthday, she'll be sacrificed to their god. But as she waits for the end, she's offered a chance to escape her fate. A sorcerer wants her as his assistant, sword-hand and assassin. As this involves her not dying that day, she accepts.
Csorwe spends years living on a knife-edge, helping her master hunt an artifact which could change many worlds. Then comes the day she's been dreading. They encounter Csorwe's old cult - seeking the same artifact - and Csorwe is forced to reckon with her past. She also meets Shuthmili, the war-mage who'll change her future.
If she's to survive, Csorwe must dodge her enemies, claim the artifact and stop the death cult once and for all. As she plunges from one danger to the next, the hunt is on . . .
The Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood is the incredible first book in The Unspoken Name series.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
For a new fantasy novel to emerge to fully formed and immersive in both character and world-building is rare—even more so when it’s a debut novel. A. K. Larkwood has achieved this and then some with The Unspoken Name, the kind of story so well-written that you'll feel as though you’ve known these lands and their magical characters since childhood. As a "chosen" sacrifice since birth, Csorwe grew up believing her life would end young. But when a mysterious wizard offers her an escape—and a new purpose—she soon finds herself in unknown lands, racing to find a lost item and battling the cult that raised her. Larkwood’s ability to paint an entire world in such vivid detail is second to none, while the labyrinthine plot is at once remarkably creative and totally gripping.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Larkwood spins an imaginative story of love, sacrifice, and betrayal that traverses worlds in this phenomenal debut. Csorwe, a 14-year-old orc princess, is betrothed to the Unspoken One, her world's god, and is slated to be sacrificed to him on behalf of her people. Before the ceremony can be completed, a stranger, Belthandros Sethennai, finds her and offers her the chance to avoid her fate by leaving with him and helping him to regain control of his world. To return to power, Sethennai must find a holy relic, the Reliquary of Pentravesse. He trains Csorwe to be his "blunt instrument," transforming her into an assassin and sending her on quests across alternate worlds to seek out the Reliquary. On one such journey, Csorwe meets a young mage named Shuthmili and falls in love, testing her loyalties once more. Larkwood's intricately woven plot is jam-packed with intrigue and excitement. Lyrical, immersive prose masterfully conveys complex worldbuilding. Epic fantasy fans are sure to be impressed by this expertly crafted adventure.
